Growing cucumbers in the open field

One of the favorite vegetables every gardener wants to grow. It is not at all necessary to nurture them in greenhouses. There are a number of recommendations on how to properly grow cucumbers outdoors.

Technology and secrets of growing cucumbers

The basic needs of all plants, without exception, are light, heat, moisture and nutrient supply. Some cultures can put up with a lack of one or another of the components. The cucumber sissy requires enough of each of them.

1. In the first place of these conditions is warmth. The minimum temperature at which cucumber seeds germinate and the plant can develop normally is 12 ° C. But this is only minimal! Therefore, before sowing seeds, it is necessary to measure the soil temperature. There is also a folk omen that helps to navigate in the correct choice of the sowing date. It has been noticed that favorable conditions for growing cucumbers in the open field come at the time of flowering of lilac and yellow acacia. From this time on, you can sow cucumbers in the ground, they will grow and develop well.
2. If the cucumber does not grow at all without sufficient heat, then the lack of light does not so clearly affect it. But with a lack of lighting, a good result will still not be achieved: the plant will stretch, the foliage will turn pale, the flowering will be delayed and will not be abundant, the fruits will grow tasteless. Conclusion - choose a well-lit place for the cucumber.
3. Concerning glazeThere are two periods in the development of cucumbers when abundant watering is necessary and a period when it is undesirable. In the very first period of growth, when the plant is actively gaining its vegetative mass, it is necessary to water generously, but so that the water does not stagnate, avoiding the possible decay of the delicate stem. When the first buds begin to appear, watering should be reduced. This trick stimulates the development of female flowers. In the future, watering gradually increases, becoming maximum by the time the greens begin to pour on the lashes.
4. Another secret of growing cucumbers and proper care for cucumber plants is to highlight the technology of watering. The temperature of the irrigation water should be 20-25 ° C. The best watering time is late evening. Watering should try not to fall on the foliage. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to the development of diseases, deterioration in the quality of fruits, and the appearance of bitterness in them.
5. Cucumber prefers organic nutrients: compost, manure, litter. Which of them to prefer depends on the capabilities and preferences of each gardener, it should only be borne in mind that fresh manure and droppings can burn the roots, and manure, in addition, contains many weed seeds and pathogens. They must be used in a partially rotted form. Dung, being a particularly concentrated fertilizer, is used only as an additive. Compost is a versatile and most harmless fertilizer. And also, unlike manure and dung, it does not create a risk of excess nitrates.
6. Minerals for cucumbers, they are always applied in dissolved form, keeping in mind the special sensitivity of cucumber roots. Foliar dressing is a great way to add nutrients.

Read also the article in the topic: how to tie cucumbers?

Methods for growing cucumbers

Seedling method growing cucumbers allows you to give the plant a head start, ahead of the standard sowing time and thereby creating the preconditions for a long-awaited early harvest. The weak point of this method of growing is the increased sensitivity of the roots of the cucumber, which suffers greatly during transplantation. A simple way to overcome this disadvantage is to sow germinated seeds in peat pots or pills, together with which the seedlings will subsequently be planted in the ground.

Cucumbers have been cultivated in a warm garden for a long time. To arrange such a bed, they dig a deep trench and fill it with manure or compost, which has not yet completely overwhelmed. You can use a mixture of them. From above they are covered with a layer of fertile soil, into which seeds are already sown, preferably germinated. Continuing rotting compost and manure will generate heat as a result, warming the bed.

In barrels. This method of growing cucumbers can be considered a kind of "warm bed", since the barrel is also filled with rotting organic matter in the middle and nutrient soil at the top.

Of the advantages of this method, it is worth noting:

• the ability to save scarce space on the site;
• a way to avoid soil frost;
• creating favorable temperature conditions for cucumbers;
• improving the illumination of plants;
• convenience of crop care.

It is important to note that barrels for planting should be taken old, which have holes at the bottom and sides for draining excess water and improving the air regime of the root system.

In recent years, cucumbers have been most often grown on the trellis. If we proceed from the ease of its arrangement, the possibility of providing favorable conditions for the development of the plant, ease of caring for the crop, growing cucumbers in the open field on a trellis seems to be the most convenient of the ways.

Growing cucumbers on a trellis

The advantages of this method are the following:

• rational use of the site area;
• ease of plant care (watering, feeding, harvesting fruits);
• when growing cucumbers on a trellis, the quality of the crop improves, well-visible fruits do not outgrow;
• creating comfortable conditions for culture (better illumination, good ventilation);
• cucumbers growing in favorable conditions are less sick and bear fruit longer.

What will be the trellis for the cucumber - you choose.

1. It can be a "wall" construction. To set it up, on both sides of the ridge, racks are driven into the ground, between which the mesh is pulled. Alternatively, 3-4 supports are driven along the row of cucumbers, onto which the cord is pulled.
   
2. A popular type of tapestry is double. In this case, a general structure is built for two rows of cucumbers. This type of trellis has increased strength and it is recommended to arrange it on long beds, where the total mass of cucumber lashes is quite large.
   
3. A small trellis can be designed in the form of a "hut" or "tent". This method is effective in appearance, easy to manufacture and ideal for small areas. Children like these buildings.
   
4. A kind of trellis can be considered the joint cultivation of cucumbers and such tall plants as corn or sunflower. These giants will serve as protection from drafts for the thermophilic cucumber. They will also be a natural support that grows with it. In this way, several more advantages are achieved: the work of the gardener is facilitated (it is not by chance that women prefer this method), two crops grow at once on the same bed, the plants are less sick. It should be noted that when using a "live trellis", the soil in the garden bed must be fertile enough to have enough nutrients for both crops. Top dressing (root or foliar) is required.
   

It is important not to be late with the timing of the installation of a trellis for cucumbers, without waiting for the stems of the plants to begin to lie down, so as not to disturb the grown shoots.The optimal time for supporting a cucumber crop is the moment when the sprouts have risen to a height of about 10 cm.

Read also the article: how to grow cucumbers in a greenhouse?

We carry out a garter of cucumbers - video